Short answer
Guangzhou's metro is the easiest big-city transport in China for a foreign visitor, because you do not need an app, a card or a ticket. Since 12 October 2025 every station accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards at the gate. Tap the same card in and out; the fare is deducted on exit.
A ride costs ¥2–¥20 by distance. The 24-hour pass is ¥20 and the 72-hour pass ¥50, both timed from your first gate entry, and neither covers buses or ferries. The APM shuttle under the CBD is a flat ¥2 extra.
Two habits prevent almost every problem: have your bag ready for the security scanner, and check the last-train time for your own station rather than assuming the network runs to midnight. English signage is everywhere.
What a ride costs
Fares are distance based and published, so you can predict a journey before you tap.
| Distance | Fare | Typical journey |
|---|---|---|
| First 4 km | ¥2 | Two or three central stops |
| 4–12 km | +¥1 per additional 4 km | Across one district |
| 12–24 km | +¥1 per additional 6 km | Old city to Canton Tower |
| Over 24 km | +¥1 per additional 8 km | Airport or Guangzhou South |
| APM shuttle, CBD | Flat ¥2 | Zhujiang New Town to the tower |
| Network maximum | ¥20 | The longest single journey |
Airport to the centre is ¥7–¥10, Guangzhou South to the centre ¥2–¥7, and Zhujiang New Town to Chen Clan Academy about ¥4.
Four ways to get through the gate
Pick one method per journey.
| Method | Works for | Things that go wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Contactless bank card tap | Any contactless Visa, Mastercard, Amex or JCB, on all lines and stations | Your bank may block the first overseas tap or add a currency fee. Same card in and out, or the system charges an incomplete journey. |
| Alipay or WeChat ride code | Anyone with passport verification and a bank card bound in the app | Needs a live connection and battery, and the verification must be done before you travel. |
| Metro operator app | Visitors whose app store publishes it | Distribution varies by app store and country; use a card tap or QR code instead. |
| Ticket machine or counter | Single journeys and day passes | Machines expect cash or a domestic payment method, and the interface is not always in English. |
Passes: when they actually pay off
- 24-hour pass,
¥20. Counted from the first gate entry, not from purchase. It breaks even at roughly four mid-distance rides in a day. - 72-hour pass,
¥50. The same logic across three days. It suits a trip that crosses the city several times daily, not a slow itinerary around two neighbourhoods. - A stored-value Yang Cheng Tong card. Sold at station kiosks and usable on buses, ferries and some shops. Deposit and refund terms are set at the point of sale, and metro service centres generally do not handle top-ups or returns.
Most visitors do not need any of them. A sightseeing day in central Guangzhou is ¥8–¥12 in single fares, less than the pass.
Hours, security and the platform
Most lines start around 06:00. Last trains leave between roughly 22:45 and a little after midnight depending on the line, direction and service pattern, and the board above your platform is the only figure that matters — outer stations lose their last train well before the city centre.
Every entrance has a security check: bag through the scanner, you through the metal detector. It adds seconds, not minutes, but it is why five minutes before a train is a false economy with luggage.
Line 3 runs several service patterns on the same tracks, so a train that terminates early is normal — change at Tiyu Xilu.
Which line for which sight
| Sight | Station | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Canton Tower | Canton Tower | Line 3, or the APM shuttle |
| Chen Clan Ancestral Hall | Chen Clan Academy | Line 1 |
| Shamian Island | Huangsha, then a ten-minute walk | Line 1 and Line 6 |
| Guangdong Museum and the opera house | Zhujiang New Town, or the APM | Line 3 and Line 5 |
| Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall | Memorial Hall | Line 2 |
| Guangzhou South Railway Station | Guangzhou South | Line 2, Line 7, Line 22 |
A day built from that list is laid out in the two-day Guangzhou itinerary; the Guangzhou travel guide covers which district to sleep in.
Buses, taxis, ride-hailing and bikes
- City buses. A flat low fare, paid by QR code or cash. Fares are posted at the front of the vehicle and drivers do not give change, so a QR code is the practical option.
- Taxis and ride-hailing. Taxis are metered and start in the low teens of yuan. DiDi runs inside Alipay, with a fixed price shown before you confirm. Both suit luggage and late nights.
- Shared bikes. Released through Alipay or the operator's app and billed in 30-minute blocks at a rate shown before you ride. Guangzhou is flat and the old districts are dense, so a bike is often the fastest way to cover a kilometre between two stations. Keep out of the motor lanes.
When the metro loses
- After the last train. From 23:00 onward the answer is a taxi or ride-hailing.
- Heavy rain. April to September is the wet season, and downpours flood kerbsides fast. A short taxi hop beats a twenty-minute walk.
- The last kilometre. Shamian Island is a ten-minute walk from Huangsha, and several riverfront sights sit a similar distance from the nearest station.
- Canton Fair weeks. The spring and autumn sessions load the lines around the exhibition complex. Travel earlier or later, or take a taxi.
- Luggage at rush hour. Roughly 07:30 to 09:30 and 17:30 to 19:30 turns the downtown interchanges into a contact sport.
Mistakes that cost money or an hour
- Tapping in with one card and out with another. The system records an incomplete journey and charges accordingly. Same card or QR code at both ends.
- Standing in the card lane with a phone QR code. Lanes are signed and separate; read the gate at rush hour.
- Keeping a paper ticket next to a magnet. It can wipe the ticket and the gate will not open.
- Assuming the APM is included. It is a separate flat
¥2, not covered by the day passes. - Budgeting for a taxi when the metro is faster. The food guide lists where a metro hop plus a short walk reaches the best eating.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tap my foreign bank card on the Guangzhou metro?
Yes. Since 12 October 2025 all stations accept contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB, alongside UnionPay. Tap the same card in and out.
How much does the metro cost?
¥2 to ¥20 by distance: ¥2 for the first 4 km, then ¥1 steps. The APM shuttle is a flat ¥2, not covered by the day passes.
Is the 24-hour pass worth buying?
Only on heavy days. The passes are ¥20 for 24 hours and ¥50 for 72, timed from your first gate entry. A sightseeing day is ¥8–¥12 in single fares.
How do I pay with Alipay or WeChat?
Complete passport verification, bind a bank card, then open the Guangzhou metro ride code and scan in and out. Finish the setup at home.
What are the operating hours?
Most lines start around 06:00. Last trains leave between roughly 22:45 and a little after midnight, so read the board at your own station.
Do bags go through a scanner?
Yes. Bag through the scanner, you through the metal detector. Keep water bottles accessible, and allow a few extra seconds with luggage.
How long is a ticket valid?
Valid on the day of purchase at the station where you bought it, with roughly four and a half hours between entering and exiting. Keep paper tickets away from magnets.
When is a taxi or a shared bike better than the metro?
After the last train, in the rain, and for the last kilometre to places like Shamian Island. Bikes win short hops inside a district; ride-hailing wins at night.
Related reading
Compiled from the metro operator's published fare bands, pass and payment notices, Guangzhou municipal announcements on international card acceptance, and 2026 visitor reports, cross-checked 29 September 2026. Fares, pass prices, card acceptance and last-train times change by line and by season — the station boards and the operator's own channel are the authoritative version. Nothing here is financial or legal advice.